And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. —Ephesians 4:30-31.
Don’t cause God’s Holy Spirit to grieve! But how do we cause the Spirit of God to grieve? By harbouring bitterness, unleashing anger-driven rage, brawling with others, and slandering the name of people or plotting to harm them. Not only are these behaviours in direct opposition to the will and character of God, but they are also the exact opposite of the qualities the Spirit is seeking to produce in our lives — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). No wonder such evil behaviours listed grieve the Holy Spirit; they are in direct opposition to the work of the Spirit in our lives and in our relationships.